Peter Hall Partner


Peter is a litigation and dispute resolution specialist.  He provides expert advice and representation for our clients across a wide range of civil and commercial disputes.

Peter joined Simpson Western from university and became a partner in 2020.

Peter's primary professional focus is on resolving disputes efficiently and meaningfully by providing intelligent advice and representation.  He has significant strengths in risk analysis, strategic positioning, delivering persuasive arguments, and negotiating and documenting settlement arrangements.

In the courtroom, Peter is a determined and articulate advocate. He has appeared as counsel in a number of District Court, High Court and Court of Appeal cases with considerable success.

Peter's strong interpersonal skills allow him to relate well to clients and develop strong relationships.  He ensures he understands his clients and their objectives from the outset so that he can provide clear advice which is both legally sound and commercially sensible.

Peter has presented to numerous directors, business owners and senior staff regarding litigation strategy and risk management.  He has sat on various committees and has written articles on a number of litigation issues for both Simpson Western's own publications and the Sunday Star Times.

Outside of work, Peter is a keen musician, squash player, footballer and Dad.

 

Selection of experience

  • Successful High Court application to recover loan moneys advanced to facilitate a purchase of shares.  Issues in respect of whether the advances were truly loans and whether key contractual terms had been varied or waived.  Subsequent enforcement of that judgment through charging orders and sale of property under the High Court Rules.
  • Successful High Court application to set aside a statutory demand issued by a supplier in the food industry.
  • Advised clients on shareholder disputes involving allegations of breaches of directors' duties and achieving favourable settlements.
  • Acted for an overseas client who had terminated a distributorship agreement with a New Zealand based entity.  Issues around effect of termination and payment of commissions.
  • Successful opposition to an appeal from a decision of the Tenancy Tribunal ordering the tenant of a valuable Auckland property to vacate premises.  Issues around whether the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 applied and the jurisdiction of the Tenancy Tribunal.
  • Successful application to remove and appoint new trustees of an estate where the valuable assets of the estate had not been realised and distributed for a considerable period.  Issues in respect of "expediency" under the Trustee Act 1956 and the interests of beneficiaries.
  • Acted for a would-be franchisee who attempted to purchase a franchise for an inflated sum.  Involved settlement negotiations resulting in the purchase being unwound.
  • Acted for an overseas financier applying to sustain a caveat.  Involved urgent drafting of proceedings and successfully concluding settlement discussions.
  • Successful High Court application for an order for possession regarding a high value Auckland property in circumstances where the purchaser had taken early possession under an agreement for sale and purchase and then failed to settle on the subsequent settlement date.  Issues around cancellation of contracts and set-off.
  • Successful appeal to the Court of Appeal regarding purchasers of a valuable Auckland property failing to tender settlement on the settlement date and cancellation issues.
  • Acted for an overseas lender who had obtained a foreign judgment against an individual resident in New Zealand.  Involved registering the foreign judgment in New Zealand, taking steps to enforce the judgment and reaching a settlement.
  • Acted for purchasers of a residential property where a pre-contractual misrepresentation had been made during the sale process.  Involved pursuing the vendors and also the real estate agent under the Fair Trading Act 1986, negotiating with multiple solicitors and securing a favourable settlement.
  • Acted for a construction client faced with allegations of negligence in a complex contractual setting.  Involved negotiating with multiple solicitors and securing favourable settlement terms.

 

Peter's areas of expertise

  • Civil litigation
  • Commercial and contractual disputes
  • Dispute resolution including negotiation and mediation
  • Debt recovery
  • Land and leasing disputes
  • Company and shareholder disputes
  • Trust litigation
  • Construction disputes
  • Real estate agency disciplinary matters

 

Qualifications

LLB University of Auckland 2009 

BCom (Marketing) University of Auckland 2009 

 

Professional Memberships

Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand 

New Zealand Law Society

NZ Law

Member of the North Harbour Club